air and earth

there are spaces amidst the sidewalks

in places both landlocked 

and seaside

that lack love, not within, but from short drives away

where numbness is prescribed from polished estates

 but here, the cement is cracked. 
between these uneven gaps

a strike slip fault line persists

3 strikes to a prison pipeline

and weeds growing between bricks

like weed growing to feed the kids.

there’s only X jobs in the system

that aren’t paying 7.25 for people in these credentials

and if they’re all taken, 

by my wisdom,

one can only reach his highest potential

if he lives off licit and illicit means to make rent...

now you tell me, 

if you were born here, in this transect of neglect,

and were given choice A to slave for pocket change dimes

or plan B but know freedom lies between friends' graves and crime time

i think between these cracks you’d see

that C is what he really needs, though it's none of the above.

he needs your love.

by C. Lang

The Greed of Seaweed

Seaweed.

A term used for an outsider who settles in Bimini. 

Seaweed comes, seaweed goes. Some stay to nourish the land (seaweed is a natural fertilizer), and others wash-up for moments before getting swept out to new destinations. 

Honestly, I can't blame the overt or subtle repulsion towards outsiders on the island. Tourists arrive with extravagance and dispose of US-brought goods as trash before thrusting their tri-engine boats--overstuffed with Bahamian harvested seafood--back home. 

"But we spend money! 

"Bimini needs us, otherwise they wouldn't be asking us to buy things from them." 

"I need a weekend getaway from Miami, but I don't want to lose the perks." 

As a fellow species of seaweed, I would like to be of the nourishing type that can be put to use. That vegan sushi roll type of seaweed. Seaweed will surely return, but for now it is gone with the currents. 

I'm Posse

Biking to and fro the Tavernier plaza from our marina, we cross the overpass for Hawk Channel on a daily basis. These homeless kitties are greeted most days by a sweet lady who lugs a wagon full of cat food around suppertime.

In the shade, under the bridge, cats and raccoons coexist with an expectancy of meow-mix provisions. Today was not their day, however, and my photographic presence only roused them from their perches with a following disappointment. Goodness, they looked cuddly though.

Escape to the Enchanted East

For most traveling to Bimini, a visit to East Wells is not the norm, nor even a checkbox on the to-do list, sadly.

The East is the 'bush,' in all its overgrown messiness, in all its virgin pureness. I have prior exposure to this area thanks to my experience working with the Sharklab--the inlets through red mangroves make for ideal lemon and nurse shark nursery grounds--but Kevin had not yet seen this critical ecological hotspot on the islands.

(View of the ferry looking back from the North West of Bimini)

(North Bimini--everything you see is threatened to be erased for housing and golf course creation)

From the Big Game, this would be a daunting journey, but well worth every step. (Fortunately we were able to hitch a lift to the Resort, cutting off 4 miles of the walk north). As the sun shone from directly above, shade was limited to directly under trees. Once the long-winded walk up the North stretch of development was finished, we entered an untouched tri-habitat of beach, Australian pine groves, and mangrove flats to our right.

The wind picked up noticeably on reaching the Northern tip. Shells jingled and tinkled as juvenile hermit crabs scuttled across the pine needle walkway to the beach sand. We glanced to the right to see land crab holes and exoskeletons just before the dense mangrove entwinement.

(Gulls sparring over fish find)

 Once we hit the northern tip, the walk south and east was easy breezy. The sun would be falling west behind the trees, while the salty wind blew bitty white caps out of the east. Gulls and pelicans searched for pilchards and baby bonefish throughout the shoreline.

(Kevin taking in the sand flats)

(A Bimini boa stretching in the falling sun, greeting us on our exit back into civilization)

We will be doing the East Wells hike again, hopefully with the kids of Bimini, and next time with more rations than our gallon of water and 3 sunflower butter and Jelly (Kevin's allergic to nuts) sandwiches. This place is beyond words...the quiet natural elements enveloped us away from the busy, dusty life of North Bimini. This place, in a few months or a year's time, may be entirely destroyed. I will venture deeper to learn about what else lives within.

-C

'Keys' for the Engine: Seizing the D(el)ay

Serendipity and hospitality is all Kevin and I have been welcome to the past two weeks. The first few days upon arrival we walked 'Mississippi miles' across bridges and other shadeless lengths to resolve any electronic problems that befell us in Bim. 2 phones, a GoPro, and computer. We are thankful for free WiFi, cold water, and air-conditioning. Hats are a must-wear in the 10-3 day-time window of this tropical locale.

We also dedicated a day to pick up supplies for living and future summer workshops with the kids of Bimini, finding every store needed in a 3 block radius. As ridiculous as we looked lugging a wheely suitcase behind us across the city streets, I highly recommend this tactic for bulk shopping--scrap the unnecessary plastic bag usage and take a home-owned shopping cart with you to the restocking run.

Missing my San Francisco traditions, we couldn't pass an opportunity to see Pride in the Southernmost southern point. I must say, SF holds a pretty high (substitute, risqué) bar...I was a bit disappointed by the tameness of this rendition, but grateful to see new faces and places nonetheless.

Foolish to be Bullish

From a few weeks back. 

A bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) patrolling the beach at golden hour. Backdropped by horizon-lined freight ships. This was Kevin's first shark-sighting in Bimini, if I'm not mistaking. Not a bad way to start off. Backpacks and sandals were flung on the sand as we pursued the steady swimmer southbound along the wavy shoreline. It took all of my rational sense to not wade in with camera in hand, this reportedly aggressive specimen looked so at peace with itself. The choice was made to stay above water. I'm lacking a GoPro or underwater housing sorely. 

Note: I first decided this is no lemon shark (which have been spotted in this location) because the first dorsal in is disproportionately larger than the posterior one. A blacktip, possibly, though the girthy anterior suggested otherwise. I have never heard of blacktips nor reef sharks venturing off Radio Beach in North Bimini, but am open to others' insights.

-C

Social, but Separate

"They know I am a no nonsense man, that's why they've accepted me. They say, 'You know, Mr. Y, you don't put up with bullshit.' And then afterwards, they come knocking on my door for advice. It's so strange, but I can only say 'Be strong,' because you're heart is in the right place, and they will accept you too."

I think about Mr. Y's words--about the appearance of strength, about assimilation and what that even looks like in a community that lures in transients like tuna on a ballyhoo tackle. Only some take the bait wholly, though an entire school may swim in awe of the glimmer. I think about how a local possibly perceives a paradox of foreign similarity in me. My comfort. My quick sensitivity to the stings of criticism. My eagerness to show up. All for what? I shall stay in the cave. Something drew me here.

On our walk back home, I spotted these (presumably) white-crowned pigeons posing like the green parrots of Telegraph Hill, resting en masse behind the Methodist steeple. Despite the numerous electricity lines between us, I was happy to eavesdrop on the congregation.

-C